Clark/Driscoll Old/New Calvinism Dust Up in the Blogosphere

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No need to continue to apologize, but apology accepted once again. And I've always thought that that the Reformed community should be a pretty big tent (except for the clowns -- kick them out!). We are all supposed to be "Reformed and continually reforming [according to Scripture]"; so some of us are going to be different places within the tent. But being in the tent is the important thing. Which is another thing that "miffed" me -- it was Driscoll that fired the first shot here. To co-opt your analogy from before, it was more like the kid borrowed his dad's keys to the car and then when he got home throwing the keys at dad and demanding the old man buy him a brand new sports car.
 
Perhaps if we look at this from another angle we can appreciate the progress these "new" Calvinists have made.

They are taking the Scriptures seriously and becoming preachers of free and sovereign grace, without much help from history. If that isn't a testament to the Reformed doctrine of the perspecuity of Scripture and the gospel of free grace, I'm not sure what is. Give them more time, and they will probably end up where the "old" Calvinists already are.

They have chosen to rebuild the wheel on their own, and are at least beginning to land where the historical Reformed Church has already been, and now they are beginning to see that historical connection with Calvinism. They would rather learn the lessons all over again by themselves rather than learn from history. If they continue in their present course, taking Scripture seriously, and working out the implications of God's sovereignty, it will only be a matter of time before they are in line with our own Confessional traditions.

It's kinda like ambitious teenagers learning the hard way that mom and dad were right all along. And at this point, the parents can either nag the kids and drive them further away, or simply pray, and coach them along with thoughtful questions which force the adolescents to discover and own the truth afresh for themselves, and even help the parents to at least reconsider some questions they hadn't thought of in a while.

Perhaps I'm being overly optimistic, but I see a great reason to praise God in all of this as his Church learns yet again how faithful He is.
:2cents:
 
Patrick, it sort of reminds me of an illustration that G.I. Williamson uses in the foreword/introduction to his study guide on the Heidelberg Catechism. He compares the confessional documents to maps. When we travel to a new area, we generally like to have a map to guide us around. The map was drawn by those who went before us and who know where everything is. It would be silly of us to throw the map away and want to redraw everything ourselves (unless it was a poor map, I suppose). But that's what happens when folks ignore the confessions in pursuit of something "new." I am hopeful with you that they wind up "re-discovering" the map for themselves.
 
Patrick, it sort of reminds me of an illustration that G.I. Williamson uses in the foreword/introduction to his study guide on the Heidelberg Catechism. He compares the confessional documents to maps. When we travel to a new area, we generally like to have a map to guide us around. The map was drawn by those who went before us and who know where everything is. It would be silly of us to throw the map away and want to redraw everything ourselves (unless it was a poor map, I suppose). But that's what happens when folks ignore the confessions in pursuit of something "new." I am hopeful with you that they wind up "re-discovering" the map for themselves.

Well, to expand the analogy, there are really only two destinations when you try to relearn everything yourselves. You can either end up with the same old truth as before, or end up in the same old heresies. The landscape hasn't changed at all.
 
Disclaimer: The following is not a Driscoll/Piper bash. This is merely my observation.

Has anyone here aside from me ever wondered why two of the names mentioned, i.e. Mark Driscoll and John Piper, in connection with "New Calvinism" happen to be continualists?

In the Resurgence blog where Mark Driscoll comments on the Time Magazine article about New Calvinism, he says this:

Old Calvinism was cessationistic and fearful of the presence and power of the Holy Spirit. New Calvinism is continuationist and joyful in the presence and power of the Holy Spirit.

Quoted from: New Calvinism Versus Old Calvinism


Now, John Piper in his desiringGod blog says this:

Yes, I think miraculous gifts continue.

Quoted from: Praise God for Fundamentalists

I wonder if this is a trend amongst "New Calvinists," which is that they tend towards continualism/non-cessationism.
 
I would say the Reformed Confessions help tie us to the historic faith. Rather than divide, they hold us together.

When someone wants to raise the banner of being "Reformed" and wants to label themselves as a "New Calvinist" while ridiculing the "old" and eschew historic confessions of faith, that should at least raise an eyebrow or two. It smacks more of postmodernism than historic Reformed Christianity. :2cents:

:ditto:
 
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